maininki

330 feet x 60 feet
candles, glass, sand, ceramics, audience
Nokia Cable Factory
 
This public light installation launched the Helsinki Light Festival in 1996. Arranging over 6,000 hand dipped candles of specific heights into a grid pattern, created rolling waves of light when lit. A 5’ tall glass wall was erected and lined the space to create infinite reflections. During the seven hours, hundreds of people used hand blown glass pens to make sand paintings around and between the candles.
 
The installation took 10 days to build with about 85 volunteers.  As there was a balcony circling the space, it was also possible to view from above and observe unusual light movements on a large scale. ‘Maininki’ was shown live on the national news that evening and had the honor of gracing the front page of the national newspaper 'Helsingin Sanomat' the next morning.
 
‘maininki’ is the finnish word for the swell of an ocean wave right before it breaks.